S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8757
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 2, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. FORREST -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to providing infor-
   mation on the supplemental nutrition assistance program to students at
   institutions of higher education

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "SNAP for
 students act".
   § 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new  section  95-b
 to read as follows:
   § 95-B. SNAP FOR STUDENTS. 1.  DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "SNAP"  MEANS  THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 3(T) OF THE FEDERAL FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2008 (7
 U.S.C. 2012 (T)).
   (B) "INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION" MEANS ANY INSTITUTION OF  HIGHER
 EDUCATION,  RECOGNIZED  AND APPROVED BY THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
 THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR ACCREDITED BY A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ACCREDIT-
 ING AGENCY OR ASSOCIATION ACCEPTED AS SUCH BY THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVER-
 SITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHICH PROVIDES A COURSE OF STUDY  LEADING
 TO THE GRANTING OF A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE, CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA.
   (C)  "STUDENT" MEANS A PERSON WHO IS ENROLLED AT LEAST HALF-TIME IN AN
 INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. THE NUMBER  OF  HOURS  REQUIRED  TO  BE
 DEEMED AS ENROLLED AT LEAST HALF-TIME IN AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCA-
 TION  ENROLLMENT SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCA-
 TION IN WHICH SUCH PERSON IS ENROLLED.
   2. CREATION OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS.  (A) THE OFFICE  SHALL  CREATE
 INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS REGARDING STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR SNAP BENEFITS,
 WHICH  SHALL  BE  UPDATED AT LEAST ANNUALLY; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE
 OFFICE SHALL UPDATE THE INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS AS NEEDED IF  THERE  ARE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11992-01-5
 A. 8757                             2
              

 
 CHANGES  TO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OR APPLICATION PROCESS FOR SNAP
 BENEFITS BEFORE THE ANNUAL UPDATE OF SUCH MATERIALS.
   (B)  THE  INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS CREATED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE AND  ON
 EACH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICE'S WEBSITE.
   (C)  THE  INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS CREATED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH,  SPANISH,  AND  ANY
 OTHER  LANGUAGE  THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW OR THAT THE OFFICE DEEMS APPRO-
 PRIATE.
   (D) THE INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NEED NOT BE LIMITED
 TO, INFORMATION ON:
   (I) THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND METHODS OF APPLYING FOR SNAP BENEFITS;
   (II) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS TO QUALIFY FOR  SNAP  BENE-
 FITS;
   (III) HOW TO RE-APPLY FOR SNAP BENEFITS;
   (IV)  SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS APPLYING FOR SNAP BENEFITS OR
 WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SNAP, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE  CONTACT
 INFORMATION  FOR  LOCAL  SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICES AND CONTACT INFORMATION
 FOR ANY AND ALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT AID INDIVIDUALS  WITH  SNAP  APPLICA-
 TIONS;
   (V) INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH SNAP, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO DOUBLEUP, SNAP-ED, AND SNAP TO MARKET;
   (VI)  A  LIST  OF  STORES  IN THE STATE THAT ALLOW USING SNAP BENEFITS
 ONLINE; AND
   (VII) METHODS OF CONTACTING THE OFFICE  REGARDING  SNAP  BENEFITS  AND
 OTHER SNAP RELATED INQUIRIES.
   3. DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS. (A) THE OFFICE, IN COORDI-
 NATION  WITH  THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, SHALL DISTRIBUTE, AT MINI-
 MUM, DIGITAL VERSIONS OF THE INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS TO  EVERY  INSTITU-
 TION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE.
   (B)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH AND CONDUCT AN
 OUTREACH PROGRAM TO INFORM STUDENTS  ATTENDING  INSTITUTIONS  OF  HIGHER
 EDUCATION ABOUT SNAP AND OTHER SOURCES OF AID FOR COMBATING FOOD INSECU-
 RITY.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CONSULT AND COLLABORATE
 WITH ANY STATE DEPARTMENT, AGENCY, OFFICE, DIVISION, COMMISSION, AUTHOR-
 ITY OR OTHER ENTITY AS THE OFFICE DEEMS APPROPRIATE OR NECESSARY FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF CARRYING OUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
   (C) EVERY INSTITUTION OF  HIGHER  EDUCATION  IN  THE  STATE  SHALL  BE
 REQUIRED  TO  NOTIFY  EACH STUDENT OF SUCH INSTITUTION OF SUCH STUDENT'S
 POTENTIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SNAP BENEFITS.   SUCH  NOTIFICATION  SHALL  BE
 PROVIDED  AT  LEAST  ANNUALLY  AND  THROUGH  ELECTRONIC MEANS; PROVIDED,
 HOWEVER, THAT EVERY INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL BE  AUTHORIZED
 TO  CONDUCT  ADDITIONAL  OUTREACH  AND  PROVIDE  ADDITIONAL  ELIGIBILITY
 NOTIFICATIONS AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE INSTITUTION TO COMPLY WITH  THE
 REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS  SECTION.  THE  NOTIFICATION PROVIDED TO STUDENTS
 SHALL, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PRACTICABLE, BE SPECIFIC TO NEW YORK STATE
 AND SHALL PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION  FOR  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES
 OFFICE WHERE AN APPLICATION FOR SNAP BENEFITS MAY BE SUBMITTED.
   (D)  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION SHALL
 NOTIFY ALL STUDENTS THAT APPLIED FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM  AWARDS
 THAT  THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP BENEFITS. SUCH NOTIFICATION SHALL BE
 PROVIDED AT LEAST ANNUALLY AND THROUGH ELECTRONIC MEANS.
   (E) ALL NOTIFICATIONS  PROVIDED  THROUGH  ELECTRONIC  MEANS  REGARDING
 POTENTIAL  STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR SNAP BENEFITS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NEED
 NOT BE LIMITED TO:
 A. 8757                             3
 
   (I) THE INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS CREATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF
 THIS SECTION;
   (II) INFORMATION ON WHERE AND HOW TO APPLY FOR SNAP BENEFITS;
   (III)  INFORMATION  ON OBTAINING ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION PROC-
 ESS; AND
   (IV) INFORMATION ON WHERE TO GO FOR MORE INFORMATION.
   4. ANNUAL REPORTS. THE OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  TO  THE
 GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE WHICH SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
 ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE AND WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NEED NOT BE LIMITED
 TO:
   (A) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT APPLIED FOR SNAP BENEFITS;
   (B)  THE  NUMBER  OF  STUDENTS THAT APPLIED FOR SNAP BENEFITS AND WERE
 FOUND TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH BENEFITS;
   (C) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT RECEIVED SNAP BENEFITS;
   (D) THE NUMBER OF  INSTITUTIONS  OF  HIGHER  EDUCATION  THAT  NOTIFIED
 STUDENTS OF POTENTIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SNAP BENEFITS;
   (E) A LIST OF ALL INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE, INDI-
 CATING  WHICH  INSTITUTIONS  COMPLIED  WITH  THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS
 SECTION; AND
   (F) AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS  SECTION  IN  NOTIFYING
 STUDENTS OF POTENTIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SNAP BENEFITS.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  neces-
 sary  for  the  implementation  of  this  act  on its effective date are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.